Friday 20 July 2012

GWYNETH PALTROW - MAKE YOUR LIFE GOOD


Make your life good.
Invest in what's real.
Cook a meal for someone you love.
Pause before reacting.
Clean out your space.
Read something beautiful
Treat yourself to something.
Go to a city you have never been before.
Learn something new.
Don't be lazy.
Work out and stick with it.
GOOP (visit Paltrow's website).
Make it great.

- Gwyneth Paltrow

MY PHOTO FOR THE DAY - MERCEDES BENZ 1927


This photo was taken when I visited the 'Car and Carriage Caravan Museum' at Luray Caverns, Virginia, USA.

HAPPY RAMADAN

Wishing everyone observing Ramadan, a blessed and joyful Ramadan.

POMEGRANATE - MAGICAL SUPER FRUIT FOR HEALTH


The other day I was at Geant Hypermarket and I saw these wonderful looking pomegranates with bright red skin, and I thought, gosh it's been quite sometime since I've bought some. When my husband cut them open, I loved what I saw,  the seeds resembled deep red ruby stones. This must be a particular variety of pomegranates because there are several varieties imported from different countries. I've tried various kinds before, but this was special; ruby red in color,  they were very juicy and actually tasted sweet and quite divine!. Ever since I ate them, I been wanting to blog about the health benefits of pomegranates.   Pomegranates do wonders for your health if you include them as often as possible in your diet. In a separate post I'll  be sharing legends and beliefs surrounding this ancient fruit. You'd be surprised to know that excavation of early bronze age (3500-2000 B.C.) has shown that pomengranates were one of the first cultivated fruits! Amazing isn't it? Interestingly, in Buddhism, pomegranate is one of the three blessed fruits besides peaches and citrus. If you like body creams with fruity fragrance, try Pomegranate Body Butter from Marks & Spencer (one of my favourites).

Here's why I recommend pomegranate as a super fruit you should include in your diet. Let's take a look at the health benefits.

* Fights cell damage
* Controls weight
* Helps in avoiding clumping of blood platelets and prevents blood unnecessary blood clots.
* Powerful antioxidant
* Loaded with vitamins and minerals, especially B vitamins
* Lowers cholesterol
* Lowers blood pressure
* Keep heart disorders at bay; believed to prevent heart attack and strokes
* Has anti cancer effects that can inhibit breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer and leukemia
* Phytochemical compounds in pomegranates stimulate serotonin which combats depression
* Improves immune system
* Slows down alzheimers
* Prevents osteoarthritis
* Has anti-ageing properties
* Promotes smooth healthy skin

HUMOR - AUNTY ACID WHEN SOME PEOPLE COME INTO OUR LIVES

Tuesday 17 July 2012

IMPORTANCE OF HOPE

MOTHER AND SONS

Sometimes, I  enjoy going through our old albums that has numerous pictures my daughter and son when they were babies till they finished high school. Rest of the photos taken after that are stored in my computer. When you have grown children, its so beautiful to go back into time, look at all those old photos and wonder how fast time passed by and those cute little children you cuddled and held, have grown into young men and women. 'My God, look at you when you were small!' - you can't help saying that.  It's equally fascinating for grown children to look at photographs of them when they were small and every photo has a story to tell.

Here is a beautiful photo of 'Mother and Sons'. Notice certain interesting features about the photo and it's subjects.




SALE AT NIKE

NIKE at 360 Mall has a lot of nice items under sale. Visit NIKE and 'Have a Nike Day'

WEIGHT LOSS - OVERCOMING EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT TOWARDS FOOD



Whether we are trying to lose weight or not, most of us have a strong emotional connection to food since our childhood. Our parents taught us to finish the food on the plate and not to waste it. Even if we are full, we feel compelled to finish the food off our plates. We are told 'when so many people are starving in the world, how can we throw food away?'. Achievements, rewards, good times, parties, celebrations meant lots of food. So food has always been associated with happiness, giving hardly any importance to how much do we really need to eat to be alive and what food groups can give us healthy nourishment. Fats, sweets, high calorie in certain foods, amount of total daily calorific intake was never a criteria when we eat. We are fascinated, tempted and lured by the taste, feel and appearance of food. Over the years, when we put on weight, we realize, we have to lose weight because it isn't healthy to be overweight and that we could be heading towards lifestyle diseases. Why should we wait to be overweight to come to this realization? Well, its not that we 'don't know' the consequences of overeating or consuming more food that our output, it's because we have a huge emotional bond and connection with food through out our lives.

Let's take a look at some more  factors that emotionally connect us with food.

* Eating when lonely
(no one was actually able to ward off loneliness by eating!)

* Eating because you are sad
(The problem or sadness won't be resolved through eating)

* It's wrong to throw food away. We shouldn't waste food
(So take just the right amount you want to eat in the first place. Stop when you feel full. If you have food remaining in your plate, throw it away. Don't stuff yourself)

* It tastes so good, I'll have some more.
(That's additional calories, which will turn into fat you have to fight to get off. And if you keep repeating it everytime you have extra helpings or servings, you are inviting more fat into your body)

* Eating to celebrate accomplishments and occasions
(That's okay, as long as you know what and how much you are consuming, and whether it's good for you and know when to stop).

How do we overcome emotional attachment towards food? Ask yourself a few important questions each time you decide what to cook while at home, or what to eat while you are outside - at restaurants, parties, dinners, office canteen, so on

1. Is this food really required  for my body?
2. Does this food contain lots of fat, sugar or high calories?
3. Will this food give me nourishment - the right carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals needed for my body ?
4. Will this food be heavy on my digestive organs and system?
5. Am I over eating?
6. What good does this food do for me, will it fill me with energy, health and vitality or will it make me sluggish?
7. Listen to your body. Is it telling you that it's not hungry or its full?

What we feed our body is sacred as it's for our body's proper functioning and survival. Everything we chose to eat should be aimed towards attaining a healthy body. It's okay to indulge in foods you enjoy, occasionally, but in moderation. Our body is like a vehicle we own, through which we experience everything in this world and we need to travel the journey of life, using this only vehicle till we die. If you want to keep it in top working condition, it's important to feed it with the right fuel - follow a balanced diet with lean meats, lots of vegetables, and fruits. Eliminate the fat and sugars, junk food and wheat. And learn to say 'No' to unhealthy food. Honor your body. Feed your body what it really requires, and not what the advertisements,  subtley lure you into eating.